Melania Paszek

What was your favorite book as a child?

I turned into a bookworm right after I learned how to read, I still am one (even though, unfortunately, I have less free time these days — I indulge in reading whenever I can). That means picking only one favorite book is practically impossible for me. I used to read The “Princess Diaries”, “A Series of Unfortunate Events”, and “Chronicles of Narnia” and I got into horrors and thrillers pretty early. . . so you might say my reading taste was diverse from an early age. My definite favorites that I read over and over again were “The Illustrated Mum” by Jacqueline Wilson, Greek and Nordic myths and the “Inkheart” trilogy by Cornelia Funke.

What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced?

The first thing that pops into my head is leaving my country after my BA to study abroad. I have spent the past year in Austria and currently I’m on an Erasmus in Venice, Italy. Being thrown into cultures that are so different — both from my homeland and one another — was (and is) a real thrill. I really enjoy traveling and challenges, so there’s a possibility I might end up in a completely different country in the near future. Fingers crossed, we’ll see what happens.

Do you listen to music while reading or writing?

I liked listening to music while reading when I was younger; I didn’t really have a preference, it varied from my favorite rock/indie bands to Mozart or Chopin. Nowadays, I tend to read in silence, so I can truly focus on the text. However, if I do listen to something, it’s usually instrumental, so that it isn’t too invasive or contrastive to what I’m reading. I’m a fan of movie and TV series soundtracks (for example the scores from “American Beauty”, “Amelie”, “Drive”, or “Twin Peaks”), but I also enjoy jazz, classical, or experimental pieces. It’s also fun to read a book that has already been adapted to a movie or show and play the soundtrack of the adaptation in the background; it provides a truly unique reading experience.